AT&T to offer iPhone tethering plan?

Well, if you believe one of our top informants, then the answer is yes! Have a gander at some of the wording we got a hold of and decide for yourself!

“Important iPhone Upgrade Announcement

AT&T does not require a new two-year agreement for existing customers who upgrade their current iPhone to a new iPhone.

When a current iPhone customer first tethers their new iPhone, they will be required to accept a new two-year agreement. An automated fix for this issue has been developed and will reset the customer’s agreement date back to the date of their original iPhone activation or upgrade. The reset will occur within 48 hours of the customer completing the tethering process.

This issue affects all iPhone to iPhone swaps regardless of model.

There is no action required by the customer.

Most importantly, it is crucial that we set the right expectations with our customers at the point of purchase to ensure we provide the best customer experience possible.

Please advise all customers that to complete the tethering process of their new iPhone they will be required to accept a new two-year agreement including the Ts and Cs, however, their agreement will not be extended from their original iPhone activation or upgrade date. Their original agreement date will be reset within 48 hours of completing the tethering process and we apologize for any inconvenience.

If a customer expresses concerns about the agreement dates changing, assure them that the dates will be corrected and that they can check on line at att.com using the on-line account management tool – OLAM – to confirm the correction has occurred.

We are working with Apple to correct this issue as soon as possible.

Suggested scripting when speaking with a customer:

“Mr/Mrs. Customer, I want to make you aware of an issue you will notice when tethering your new iPhone. The tethering process requires you to accept a new two-year agreement; however, I want to ensure you that AT&T is aware of this and that your agreement will not be extended. AT&T will reset your agreement date back to the date of your original iPhone activation or upgrade. This will be done within 48 hours of you completing the tethering process on your new iPhone; there is absolutely no action required by you to correct this. We apologize for any inconvenience.”

UPDATE: Yes, we jumped the gun a little bit and now realize this was a horrible description on AT&T’s part to describe the process of hooking your iPhone up to iTunes. Ironically this email was sent to AT&T employees to try and clear up customer confusion.

Isn’t this just referring to what happens when an existing customer purchases one of the new 16GB iPhones? I think they mean tethering their contract from the old iPhone to the new one….

Regt

It’s not a tethering plan….It’s to let people know they don’t need to sign a new 2 year contract to upgrade to the 16Gb iphone.

1jaxstate1

Who the hell would tether over Edge anyway?

Barry

Why would anyone want to tether with the EDGE network?

shadow

tether at EDGE speeds ? Why ? Who would be that desperate with all the 3G out there now. Plus most iPhoners probably could not figure out tethering.

tande

Yep, I’m going to say they are just using the wrong terminology. Should be activated instead of tethered.

Tethered doesn’t even really make sense in this case. Change out activated with tethered and the whole thing is much clearer.

http://jayman720.blogspot.com Jason

Activated isn’t the correct term either.

“Connected via the supplied USB to iPod dock connector cable” is.

Just my $.02

brian

since there is no mention of an increase in price, i’ll take that as proof positive there will be no 3G jesus phone. ever.

http://runstream.com Runstream

I think what they are calling ‘tethering’ iPod users would call ‘docking’, that’s all

cw

@brian: I’ll take your comment as proof positive that you aren’t very bright.

I’ve read a similar report that indicated customers who purchased new iPhones and activated them were promoted to accept a new 2-year agreement, even though it wasn’t required, and AT&T was automatically unwinding that change in their system. I’m guessing the “tethering” refers to connecting the iPhone to iTunes for activation, not data network tethering.

sara

This is definitley concerning activtion. We got it a few days after the 16 gb came out because of some angry customers who didn’t want to re-extend their contacts(understandably).

CB17

Yeah sorry BG, but you need to replace all parts that say “tethering” in that notice with “activation” I actually saw this floating around online a few days ago with the exact same text except with the activation part, not tethering

http://www.gadgetcanada.ca RC

It just means plugging it in. Not using it as a modem. Unless I am interpreting wrong

3g iphone tethered to a macbook air. Your talking 4 hours on the iphone and 3 on the air. And then your phone is dead. Just doesn’t make since for on the go people still. A 3g usb stick is a better idea. Tethering on EDGE is stupid if you have an Iphone.

http://www.s-consult.com wayne schulz

Is this a joke? You need new informants.

Brad Rokosz

the password is: “dock”

Flack

If my MacBook Pro could tether (via Bluetooth) to my iPhone and the EDGE network for $20/month unlimited, I’d probably take it. Here in the Bay area I’ve seen EDGE bursting into 128kbs. Its sucking data through a straw, but when you are on the freeway…. even a straw is better than nothing.

Also, AT&T is beginning to eat T-mobiles hot spot lunch, AT&T is taking over the gazillion Starbucks that currently have wifi. Reportedly free wifi to broadband customers, why not to mobile data customers? Yes I know its two different arms of AT&T, but it would be a competitive advantage that TMobile couldn’t touch.

Flack

chris

wow what a non scoop. Do they read things before posting them? Has nothing to do with tethering as a modem.

tande

@Jason

Nah, its talking about activation, not just the act of plugging it in. I get a shinny new iPhone (which is what the memo is really about) and just plug it in I’m just going to have a shiny new iPhone charging off my computer. Now if I wanted to use said shinny new iPhone as a phone I’d have to go through the activation process again. Which as we’ve already seen is the problem people are having. Half of AT&T is telling them that it extends the contract, half tells them it doesn’t.

Jeff B.

Ah att, when won’t you screw us or make life less difficult?

The last time they make something that doesn’t screw you will be when they make a powered screwdriver.

Andrew Davidson

@Jeff B.

They have powered screwdrivers; they’re pretty nifty.

Evan Borenstein

I am an AT&T employee, and I am letting you know that when they say “tethering” in the letter, it means connect the phone to iTunes, not use the phone as a modem. And whichever employee sent you that is royally screwed, AT&T doesn’t mess around.

Yo daddeh

That’s a really neat graphic you created for post but the naysayers are correct – I work for AT&T and also received this email; what’s puzzling is that 1) The Boy Genius doesn’t get that this is alluding to connecting the iPhone to iTunes to activate, presumably as an upgrade to the 16 gb. 2) Why the submitted altered the email; the original email did not use the word “tethering”, but simply “connect”, “connecting” and “activating”. Sorry, no tethering for the iPhone anytime soon.

Yo daddeh

Re: Evan Borenstein

Evan is right, AT&T don’t play. But I’m sure whoever chose to leak the internal memorandum wasn’t dumb enough to forward it – surely they just wrote on a piece of paper what the email said. But then why would they include the “suggested scripting” which we never, ever follow?